What do you think?
Rate this book
The Ionia Chronicles #1
Frozen Hearts
South Pole Station, a.ka. the Butt Crack of the World, any teenager’s worst nightmare, and home to free-spirit Ionia Sonberg.
To shake up her bland, boring, stuck-on-blah life, Ionia defies her uber-controlling mother and adds a companion droid, Den, to the supply requisition. The droid’s arrival takes Ionia’s relationship with her mom from toxic to Seventh Level of Frozen Hell.
Ionia and her droid escape the station by stowing away on a cargo plane bound for Mac Town, the biggest city on the continent. But just as she reaches her destination, a terrorist attack forces her to choose between freedom and family loyalty.
Den’s primary programming dictates that he please his mistress, but accompanying Ionia across the Antarctic tundra into imminent danger does not match the definition of pleasure in any of his manuals. Yet, his greatest desire is to keep her from harm, and he’s willing to risk his very existence to ensure her safety. Whether she likes it or not.
Together they must travel over Earth’s harshest terrain to uncover a secret that may save or destroy them both.
To shake up her bland, boring, stuck-on-blah life, Ionia defies her uber-controlling mother and adds a companion droid, Den, to the supply requisition. The droid’s arrival takes Ionia’s relationship with her mom from toxic to Seventh Level of Frozen Hell.
Ionia and her droid escape the station by stowing away on a cargo plane bound for Mac Town, the biggest city on the continent. But just as she reaches her destination, a terrorist attack forces her to choose between freedom and family loyalty.
Den’s primary programming dictates that he please his mistress, but accompanying Ionia across the Antarctic tundra into imminent danger does not match the definition of pleasure in any of his manuals. Yet, his greatest desire is to keep her from harm, and he’s willing to risk his very existence to ensure her safety. Whether she likes it or not.
Together they must travel over Earth’s harshest terrain to uncover a secret that may save or destroy them both.
238 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2016
59 people are currently reading
557 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Want to read
March 15, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon today (3/15/2019)! 🎁
Blurb:
South Pole Station, a.ka. the Butt Crack of the World, any teenager’s worst nightmare, and home to free-spirit Ionia Sonberg.
To shake up her bland, boring, stuck-on-blah life, Ionia defies her uber-controlling mother and adds a companion droid, Den, to the supply requisition. The droid’s arrival takes Ionia’s relationship with her mom from toxic to Seventh Level of Frozen Hell.
Ionia and her droid escape the station by stowing away on a cargo plane bound for Mac Town, the biggest city on the continent. But just as she reaches her destination, a terrorist attack forces her to choose between freedom and family loyalty.
Den’s primary programming dictates that he please his mistress, but accompanying Ionia across the Antarctic tundra into imminent danger does not match the definition of pleasure in any of his manuals. Yet, his greatest desire is to keep her from harm, and he’s willing to risk his very existence to ensure her safety. Whether she likes it or not.
Together they must travel over Earth’s harshest terrain to uncover a secret that may save or destroy them both.
Blurb:
South Pole Station, a.ka. the Butt Crack of the World, any teenager’s worst nightmare, and home to free-spirit Ionia Sonberg.
To shake up her bland, boring, stuck-on-blah life, Ionia defies her uber-controlling mother and adds a companion droid, Den, to the supply requisition. The droid’s arrival takes Ionia’s relationship with her mom from toxic to Seventh Level of Frozen Hell.
Ionia and her droid escape the station by stowing away on a cargo plane bound for Mac Town, the biggest city on the continent. But just as she reaches her destination, a terrorist attack forces her to choose between freedom and family loyalty.
Den’s primary programming dictates that he please his mistress, but accompanying Ionia across the Antarctic tundra into imminent danger does not match the definition of pleasure in any of his manuals. Yet, his greatest desire is to keep her from harm, and he’s willing to risk his very existence to ensure her safety. Whether she likes it or not.
Together they must travel over Earth’s harshest terrain to uncover a secret that may save or destroy them both.
May 22, 2018
Frozen Hearts was gripping. Intense and emotional, it was an entertaining, one sitting kind of read. I devoured it and immediately wanted more!
I really enjoyed the humor and wit of the story. Ionia was such a snarky handful of a character. I loved how she grew and changed from a somewhat whiny teen to someone who considered her own faults and actions.
The story itself was both typical and refreshing. I loved the arctic setting of Ionia's home, and I enjoyed the sci-fi bits with the androids and all the technology. And, of course I enjoyed the companion droid, Den, and his character arc.
As a rebellious teenager, Ionia started off a little selfish and unaware of the bigger picture of what was going on around her. It was quite entertaining when she first got her hands on Den. She was lonely and inexperienced, but definitely a little adventurous. When she decided to take off and leave home, she had no idea about the domino affect it would cause, so it was very entertaining to see how things played out and how she responded to everything and grew in maturity.
As I said before, the story was quite typical and predictable, but that was not a bad thing. It was well developed and flowed with a nice pace. It was captivating and heart pounding and definitely kept me turning the pages. It had a few shocking moments, and I fell in love with the interaction between Ionia and Den and the friendship that grew between them. The story was very sentimental, and also full of intrigue. I'd definitely recommend it, and I'm ready for book 2!
Thank you to the author for sending me this free copy in exchange for my honest review!
I really enjoyed the humor and wit of the story. Ionia was such a snarky handful of a character. I loved how she grew and changed from a somewhat whiny teen to someone who considered her own faults and actions.
The story itself was both typical and refreshing. I loved the arctic setting of Ionia's home, and I enjoyed the sci-fi bits with the androids and all the technology. And, of course I enjoyed the companion droid, Den, and his character arc.
As a rebellious teenager, Ionia started off a little selfish and unaware of the bigger picture of what was going on around her. It was quite entertaining when she first got her hands on Den. She was lonely and inexperienced, but definitely a little adventurous. When she decided to take off and leave home, she had no idea about the domino affect it would cause, so it was very entertaining to see how things played out and how she responded to everything and grew in maturity.
As I said before, the story was quite typical and predictable, but that was not a bad thing. It was well developed and flowed with a nice pace. It was captivating and heart pounding and definitely kept me turning the pages. It had a few shocking moments, and I fell in love with the interaction between Ionia and Den and the friendship that grew between them. The story was very sentimental, and also full of intrigue. I'd definitely recommend it, and I'm ready for book 2!
Thank you to the author for sending me this free copy in exchange for my honest review!
February 10, 2017
At the South Pole Station, Antarctica, in a plausible near future, seventeen-year-old Ionia has just received the best possible package in the mail: a hot android in a box! Life at their isolated research station with mainly her mother for company makes Ionia a cranky teenager. How could it hurt to order herself one of those lovely androids that come programmed to do whatever their owner wants? And Ionia wants a lot of things. She wants a friend and an ally, someone who might help her stand up to her mother and help her break out of the colorless life her mother wants Ionia to lead. Frozen Hearts is great, fast-paced fun with a true-to-life teenage heroine who’s still learning about the person she wants to be and how to build the family she longs for. Her new companion android, named Den by Ionia, also has his own journey, from out-of-the-box unquestioning machine to something more complicated as he and Ionia forge a friendship out of their strange beginnings. I highly recommend this book if you want to read about a future Earth that’s recognizable, but still plausibly changed in many ways, while still leaving room for hope and normalcy.
November 24, 2018
Reviewed for YA Books Central
I've never quite read a book like this before.
The story: Iona was never meant to live a life of almost solitude at the South Pole with only her mother and a few others for company. She craves adventure and love. To defy her mother, she acquires a companion droid who turns out to be much more life like than she'd ever imagined. Den attaches himself to her, protecting her, entertaining her, and going along with her crazy schemes to travel far distances and face dangers in order to find out everything that's been hidden from her her entire life.
What I liked:
This book immediately had me at "girl falls in love with droid" because I've never read anything quite like it. The writing is fast paced and engaging. The characters are likable for the most part. And the connection between Ionia and Den is felt through the pages.
What was just okay:
Sometimes Ionia's impulsiveness and desire to rebel made her seem a bit young, but it was tempered by Den's unwavering loyalty. You root for her because you root for them together. Some of the twists can be seen a mile away but it didn't keep me from enjoying every bit of the story.
Final verdict:
A unique story of adventure and love, set in a thrilling world. It's not a story that's easy to put down.
I've never quite read a book like this before.
The story: Iona was never meant to live a life of almost solitude at the South Pole with only her mother and a few others for company. She craves adventure and love. To defy her mother, she acquires a companion droid who turns out to be much more life like than she'd ever imagined. Den attaches himself to her, protecting her, entertaining her, and going along with her crazy schemes to travel far distances and face dangers in order to find out everything that's been hidden from her her entire life.
What I liked:
This book immediately had me at "girl falls in love with droid" because I've never read anything quite like it. The writing is fast paced and engaging. The characters are likable for the most part. And the connection between Ionia and Den is felt through the pages.
What was just okay:
Sometimes Ionia's impulsiveness and desire to rebel made her seem a bit young, but it was tempered by Den's unwavering loyalty. You root for her because you root for them together. Some of the twists can be seen a mile away but it didn't keep me from enjoying every bit of the story.
Final verdict:
A unique story of adventure and love, set in a thrilling world. It's not a story that's easy to put down.
February 5, 2018
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed this book, it was fun and a little different. I feel like I didn’t get enough back story on the state of this future world, but it seems to be an interesting concept (more in book 2?!). The Antarctic setting was unique and the twist at the end was really good, and pretty unexpected.
If I had one complaint, I wasn’t a huge fan of Ionia. Maybe I’m getting old! She came off as kind of bratty rather than rebellious. I mean, she ordered an android behind her mother’s back then tried to hide it. Said android is actually a “companion droid” which is pretty cringey, can’t really blame her mom for having a problem with this! However uncomfortable this concept was at the start, he’s obviously important to the story! (I’d be lying if I wasn’t a bit disappointed with how the epilogue turned out... but again, we’ll see how book two goes!).
In summary, I did enjoy it and do plan to read the next one.
I enjoyed this book, it was fun and a little different. I feel like I didn’t get enough back story on the state of this future world, but it seems to be an interesting concept (more in book 2?!). The Antarctic setting was unique and the twist at the end was really good, and pretty unexpected.
If I had one complaint, I wasn’t a huge fan of Ionia. Maybe I’m getting old! She came off as kind of bratty rather than rebellious. I mean, she ordered an android behind her mother’s back then tried to hide it. Said android is actually a “companion droid” which is pretty cringey, can’t really blame her mom for having a problem with this! However uncomfortable this concept was at the start, he’s obviously important to the story! (I’d be lying if I wasn’t a bit disappointed with how the epilogue turned out... but again, we’ll see how book two goes!).
In summary, I did enjoy it and do plan to read the next one.
May 8, 2018
I really enjoyed this futuristic YA novel that kept me engaged in the world of Ionia, a teenager with the worst luck. Alongside her companion, Den, the two fight the roughest terrain and the biggest challenges as they fall into a world of pure evil.
I wish that there was more of a backstory to Ionia’s life and the futuristic life she lives in. But the storyline was very intriguing and catching as to where I read the entire book in one day/sitting. It was a very different story to what you would think this book is about and it’s more of an adventure and coming of age story rather than a romance. I also found the title of the book to be very clever as Frozen Hearts is set in Antarctica and truly fit the story.
I would recommend this book to those who love a good adventure story with a few twists and a great team!
I wish that there was more of a backstory to Ionia’s life and the futuristic life she lives in. But the storyline was very intriguing and catching as to where I read the entire book in one day/sitting. It was a very different story to what you would think this book is about and it’s more of an adventure and coming of age story rather than a romance. I also found the title of the book to be very clever as Frozen Hearts is set in Antarctica and truly fit the story.
I would recommend this book to those who love a good adventure story with a few twists and a great team!
June 14, 2017
Fun young adult sci fi about a young girl rebelling against the constraints of her well-meaning, scientist mother. They live at the South Pole Station in Antarctica. Ionia runs away to the nearby town, with her android, Den. While staying with friends, she hears that the station has been attacked. She determines to find out if her mother is still alive. Along the way she discovers romance (maybe!) and the importance of family. There is a bit of a twist at the end.
There is one brief explicit sexual reference in the book. In some instances I had questions about the plot flow. There were a number of spelling and grammar errors, possibly because I received an ARC copy of the book. This is my honest review.
There is one brief explicit sexual reference in the book. In some instances I had questions about the plot flow. There were a number of spelling and grammar errors, possibly because I received an ARC copy of the book. This is my honest review.
November 27, 2017
Frozen Hearts is an intriguing look at a futuristic world from a teenage girls point of view. I thought I'd like it when I read the synopses but I actually enjoyed it so much more than I originally thought. It was interesting to think of where the world could be as far as technological advancements. I thought the use of an AI character was great. I like how you get to see how a human would react to a life-like robot, as well as getting to see things from the bots point of view. The story was relatable in it's family aspect because I'm sure everyone has at some point experienced disagreements with a parent. I really liked this book and I'd like to see more of this world from the author.
May 12, 2017
Interesting story line. Where does one run away to from the depths of the frozen antarctic wastes. For a 17 year old girl, rebelling against the unreasonable demands of a dominating parent, this is a very interesting question. She had tried to provide a companion, in the form of a "Companion Android", but this does not work out so good. Escape is made, but has this just moved into the lion's den. Sorry, I won't give away the plot, but it is a very different story to most that you read
September 8, 2018
Interesting story line. Where does one run away to from the depths of the frozen antarctic wastes. For a 17 year old girl, rebelling against the unreasonable demands of a dominating parent, this is a very interesting question. She had tried to provide a companion, in the form of a "Companion Android", but this does not work out so good. Escape is made, but has this just moved into the lion's den. Sorry, I won't give away the plot, but it is a very different story to most that you read
November 18, 2016
A fairly light hearted sci-fi YA. There's a lot of romantic undertones but the romance central to the book-between Ionia and Den-doesn't actually get that far, so I wouldn't exactly call it a romance. More of an adventure story with a little coming of age.
Summary
Ionia lives on the South Pole Station with her mother and a single guard. The nearest city is miles away, unreachable except by helicopter. She's isolated from her friends, her father is dead, and her mother is strict and unsympathetic to her frustrations and her desire to pursue art. So what's a girl to do?
Obviously, the only solution is to order yourself a companion droid in the mail.
I'm not even kidding. I think it's quite a good idea! Heck, if I were stuck on a frozen Antarctic base with little internet connection and a distant mother, what would I want? Company. Company, company, company. And if you can order it in the mail, what could be better? Of course, Den, when he arrives, is a model mostly intended as a sexbot. But hey, Ionia's a teenage girl. That's hardly going to put her off. And his personality programming is excellent.
All is well until Ionia's mother threatens to get rid of Den, and Ionia smuggles herself aboard a helicopter to the city until she can figure out what to do. A runaway, she goes to friends to formulate plans with Den in tow. But when terrorists attack the South Pole Station while she's gone , she's forced to return, once again with Den, to fight the elements and some mysterious enemies.
Things Which Were Great
-Den! He was really a very interesting character. He was mechanical in the way that I like my robots to be mechanical-he was always thinking through his actions logically, questioning others' motivations and even his own. But by the end he'd developed into someone more human, though arguably more flawed. I think my favorite parts were the times when he would get possessive of Ionia. Not because I like possessiveness in relationships-I don't find it attractive at all-but because it's such a human thing. Logically, a companion droid shouldn't care whether his mistress likes someone else or what she does as long as she doesn't get hurt. But Den does care, and he has a selfish side that I loved to watch develop.
(I do think the free will programming was kind of odd though because I can't imagine that being something you could program. How would that work?)
-The setting. Antarctica is such a unique place to set your robot/human YA romance. I can't say I've seen anyone do that before. And it permeates the story, the coldness, the harshness, the difficulty of survival. You can feel it in the characters, that they're used to staying in doors and being isolated, that they've learned to deal with harsh conditions. The struggle against the environment is one of the more interesting conflicts in the book.
-Ionia's mom. I felt like I could have used a bit more development of her motivations, since you can tell she has a lot of pain in her heart right now but it's mostly left as subtext. Nevertheless, she was an interesting antagonist and her relationship with Ionia is one of the driving forces of the book. I'd like to see her develop more in the sequel (which I believe there will be one?).
Things That Were Not So Great
-Ionia's personality. She was very self centered, and while I could understand her frustrations and her level of self focus, which is common in teenagers, I would have liked to see her come to think more outside herself by the end. Her relationship with Den, even by the end, still seems very centered around her needs rather than both their needs, and she still seems more of a mistress to him than a friend despite both their claims. However, their relationship may further develop in a sequel, and it's natural enough for the relationship to focus around her since initially she really only sees Den as a sexbot. These things come slowly.
-Simon, Miranda and Cam. Basically I felt like the side characters were a little flat? I appreciated the part they had to play in the novel but once again, it felt like all their actions centered around Ionia rather than around their own motivations. This was particularly evident in Simon and least evident in Cam, who was the most a free agent. Cam was actually rather fun-I just wish she'd had a bit more depth.
-Pacing issues. A lot of the main action of this book stalls until the last 40%, and it's not until more than a third of the way through that Ionia even runs away, the first half being greatly focused on relationship drama between Ionia and her mother. On the one hand, I love me some family drama. On the other hand, I felt like this made the two halves of the book feel somewhat disconnected. But the second half did have much better action and pacing than the first.
Overall
I did have some issues with this book, mostly with Ionia's self centered attitude and the pacing as mentioned above. But Den is cute and funny, and Ionia's sections are still pretty good, and there's plenty of adventure. I'd say, if you like your robotic romance both hot and cold, give it a whirl!
Oh, and for the record I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Summary
Ionia lives on the South Pole Station with her mother and a single guard. The nearest city is miles away, unreachable except by helicopter. She's isolated from her friends, her father is dead, and her mother is strict and unsympathetic to her frustrations and her desire to pursue art. So what's a girl to do?
Obviously, the only solution is to order yourself a companion droid in the mail.
I'm not even kidding. I think it's quite a good idea! Heck, if I were stuck on a frozen Antarctic base with little internet connection and a distant mother, what would I want? Company. Company, company, company. And if you can order it in the mail, what could be better? Of course, Den, when he arrives, is a model mostly intended as a sexbot. But hey, Ionia's a teenage girl. That's hardly going to put her off. And his personality programming is excellent.
All is well until Ionia's mother threatens to get rid of Den, and Ionia smuggles herself aboard a helicopter to the city until she can figure out what to do. A runaway, she goes to friends to formulate plans with Den in tow. But when terrorists attack the South Pole Station while she's gone , she's forced to return, once again with Den, to fight the elements and some mysterious enemies.
Things Which Were Great
-Den! He was really a very interesting character. He was mechanical in the way that I like my robots to be mechanical-he was always thinking through his actions logically, questioning others' motivations and even his own. But by the end he'd developed into someone more human, though arguably more flawed. I think my favorite parts were the times when he would get possessive of Ionia. Not because I like possessiveness in relationships-I don't find it attractive at all-but because it's such a human thing. Logically, a companion droid shouldn't care whether his mistress likes someone else or what she does as long as she doesn't get hurt. But Den does care, and he has a selfish side that I loved to watch develop.
(I do think the free will programming was kind of odd though because I can't imagine that being something you could program. How would that work?)
-The setting. Antarctica is such a unique place to set your robot/human YA romance. I can't say I've seen anyone do that before. And it permeates the story, the coldness, the harshness, the difficulty of survival. You can feel it in the characters, that they're used to staying in doors and being isolated, that they've learned to deal with harsh conditions. The struggle against the environment is one of the more interesting conflicts in the book.
-Ionia's mom. I felt like I could have used a bit more development of her motivations, since you can tell she has a lot of pain in her heart right now but it's mostly left as subtext. Nevertheless, she was an interesting antagonist and her relationship with Ionia is one of the driving forces of the book. I'd like to see her develop more in the sequel (which I believe there will be one?).
Things That Were Not So Great
-Ionia's personality. She was very self centered, and while I could understand her frustrations and her level of self focus, which is common in teenagers, I would have liked to see her come to think more outside herself by the end. Her relationship with Den, even by the end, still seems very centered around her needs rather than both their needs, and she still seems more of a mistress to him than a friend despite both their claims. However, their relationship may further develop in a sequel, and it's natural enough for the relationship to focus around her since initially she really only sees Den as a sexbot. These things come slowly.
-Simon, Miranda and Cam. Basically I felt like the side characters were a little flat? I appreciated the part they had to play in the novel but once again, it felt like all their actions centered around Ionia rather than around their own motivations. This was particularly evident in Simon and least evident in Cam, who was the most a free agent. Cam was actually rather fun-I just wish she'd had a bit more depth.
-Pacing issues. A lot of the main action of this book stalls until the last 40%, and it's not until more than a third of the way through that Ionia even runs away, the first half being greatly focused on relationship drama between Ionia and her mother. On the one hand, I love me some family drama. On the other hand, I felt like this made the two halves of the book feel somewhat disconnected. But the second half did have much better action and pacing than the first.
Overall
I did have some issues with this book, mostly with Ionia's self centered attitude and the pacing as mentioned above. But Den is cute and funny, and Ionia's sections are still pretty good, and there's plenty of adventure. I'd say, if you like your robotic romance both hot and cold, give it a whirl!
Oh, and for the record I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 6, 2018
What a fun book! A very unique setting keeps this book intriguing and fast paced, the looming environment almost a character itself. Ionia feels understandably lost and orders herself a companion droid, who turns out to be a sexbot. Den is by leaps and bounds the most intriguing significant other I've read in a YA book in a long time.
May 29, 2017
I could not put this book down until I read "The End!" A rebellious teenager whose mother is as hard and cold as ice runs away from home in Antarctica. She thinks her newly acquired companion (sex) bot will protect her, but then she never did get around to reading that manual, did she?
May 10, 2019
I won a copy of this book during a Goodreads giveaway. I am under no obligation to leave a review or rating and do so voluntarily. So that others may also enjoy this book, I am paying it forward by donating it to my local library.
June 13, 2017
I enjoyed this book very much. Likable characters and fast moving plot. An entertaining read.
February 25, 2018
A dandy first book. Plenty of action, intrigue and an offbeat romance between a Droid and a smart, artistic and rebellious teen. I'm eager to read the sequel.
March 13, 2018
Enjoyed it!
Good story line. The only thing that needed a bit of work----the proofreading left a little to be desired. Otherwise, a fun read!
Good story line. The only thing that needed a bit of work----the proofreading left a little to be desired. Otherwise, a fun read!
August 6, 2018
Was not my kind of read
October 25, 2018
Excellent story
This is an exciting story that had me on the edge of my seat to the very end. If you enjoy a great mystery then I recommend you read this series
This is an exciting story that had me on the edge of my seat to the very end. If you enjoy a great mystery then I recommend you read this series
June 3, 2021
Just...cringe. I sided with the mom all the way. Brat of an MC needed to be spanked more as a kid apparently. Just..no. How-not-to-write-an-MC-101.
March 12, 2017
I generally prefer to read stories where I actually have some affection for the protagonist. In this case I did not. Ionia was extremely self absorbed. While this is often the case with teenagers, her repeated bad decisions based solely on what she wanted, regardless of the danger she put all of her friends through got really annoying. I found she lacked any redeeming qualities.
Regardless, I enjoyed the Antarctic setting and the plot, and found the parent/child relationship fairly believable, especially due to the grief of having lost a husband/father.
Regardless, I enjoyed the Antarctic setting and the plot, and found the parent/child relationship fairly believable, especially due to the grief of having lost a husband/father.
January 2, 2017
As much as I never want to visit the South Pole in real life (too cold), I really love that Frozen Hearts took me on an adventure there. Ionia might think life is too boring, and her mother too restricting, at the beginning of the book--but there's a lot of fast action in front of her...starting with the delivery of her very own android, Den. Can't wait to see what happens in the next book!
December 14, 2021
A girl and android love story? I had to give this a try and it was really awesome!
This girl, Ionia, lives out in a frozen wasteland of Antarctic at the research station with her Mom and two other adults. No other teenagers around whatsoever. Her Dad died and it’s really effecting her and her Mom’s relationship. Lots of fighting and arguing between them. Straining. To the point where her Mom locks her in her room with nothing except her ability to access her online classes and the message to grow up. Her Mom wants her to get serious about her future and not waste her times on things she feels will amount to nothing. While Ionia loves her art and wants colors and daydreams and some sort of fun in her very sheltered colorless world. And man! Ionia really misses her Dad because she connected more with him than her Mom.
Ionia is so lonely that she orders a companion droid to keep her company. A very realistic cute guy of an android who is way more life-like than she thought he would be. He imprints on her right out of the box (literally) and his loyalties lay with Ionia from the get go. She gives him a name, Den, and that’s just the start of the feels he starts to have for her that makes his system get a little confused. He fiercely protects her and goes along with every crazy thing she does. He hardly ever questions her and just wants to keep her safe.
I love that he’s starting to become very aware of his feelings for her throughout the story. And he is so curious about humans and life.
Ionia runs away from the station to the city and she is so enamored with the freedom. She beelines to her two friends’, siblings, big house to stay with them while she comes up with a game plan to live on her own. But horrible things happen and she has to save her mother from terrorists!
I loved the adventure that Ionia and Den go on! I really liked the idea of the two of them together. The build of their relationship had me rooting for them and hoped that perhaps Den will become a completely self aware human like droid! Exciting!
I can’t wait to read the next book to see what happens with Ionia and Den!
This girl, Ionia, lives out in a frozen wasteland of Antarctic at the research station with her Mom and two other adults. No other teenagers around whatsoever. Her Dad died and it’s really effecting her and her Mom’s relationship. Lots of fighting and arguing between them. Straining. To the point where her Mom locks her in her room with nothing except her ability to access her online classes and the message to grow up. Her Mom wants her to get serious about her future and not waste her times on things she feels will amount to nothing. While Ionia loves her art and wants colors and daydreams and some sort of fun in her very sheltered colorless world. And man! Ionia really misses her Dad because she connected more with him than her Mom.
Ionia is so lonely that she orders a companion droid to keep her company. A very realistic cute guy of an android who is way more life-like than she thought he would be. He imprints on her right out of the box (literally) and his loyalties lay with Ionia from the get go. She gives him a name, Den, and that’s just the start of the feels he starts to have for her that makes his system get a little confused. He fiercely protects her and goes along with every crazy thing she does. He hardly ever questions her and just wants to keep her safe.
I love that he’s starting to become very aware of his feelings for her throughout the story. And he is so curious about humans and life.
Ionia runs away from the station to the city and she is so enamored with the freedom. She beelines to her two friends’, siblings, big house to stay with them while she comes up with a game plan to live on her own. But horrible things happen and she has to save her mother from terrorists!
I loved the adventure that Ionia and Den go on! I really liked the idea of the two of them together. The build of their relationship had me rooting for them and hoped that perhaps Den will become a completely self aware human like droid! Exciting!
I can’t wait to read the next book to see what happens with Ionia and Den!
January 12, 2017
Arctic Tundra Adventure, Teen Rebellion, and . . . Androids!
Author Pamela Stewart takes us on a fast-paced adventure with likeable characters in her debut novel Frozen Hearts, a mix of science fiction, teen angst and a touch of romance.
Spunky and creative teenager Ionia Sonberg is anything but thrilled to be stationed at the Arctic with her cold-as-ice mother. Missing her recently deceased father and the friends she left behind at Mac Town, Ionia longs for a little adventure and some freedom. So she does what any teenager would do in her shoes – she orders a companion android to keep her company! He arrives, very handsome and helpful, and she’s thrilled with her new friend, who she names Den. The problem is, as with most parents of teens, her mother doesn’t approve.
Den has his own problems. This human he has blood-bonded with doesn’t quite fit in with his protocols, which require pleasing his mistress and keeping her from harm. She’s compulsive and seems to be a magnet for danger.
Ionia’s ultimate rebellion lead her and Den into a world of danger where they have to survive the harsh frozen Arctic, face evil criminals, and ultimately uncover some secrets that could answer questions Ionia has long been asking.
This book was a great read from beginning to end. Stewart does a wonderful job of alternating Ionia’s point of view with Den’s more pragmatic and logical point of view.
Frozen Hearts is the first in a trilogy of The Ionia Chronicles and I can’t wait for the next book. Stewart is a fresh new voice in fiction that I definitely want to read more of. I highly recommend this book for readers of all genres, but especially those who like a good YA science fiction read.
Author Pamela Stewart takes us on a fast-paced adventure with likeable characters in her debut novel Frozen Hearts, a mix of science fiction, teen angst and a touch of romance.
Spunky and creative teenager Ionia Sonberg is anything but thrilled to be stationed at the Arctic with her cold-as-ice mother. Missing her recently deceased father and the friends she left behind at Mac Town, Ionia longs for a little adventure and some freedom. So she does what any teenager would do in her shoes – she orders a companion android to keep her company! He arrives, very handsome and helpful, and she’s thrilled with her new friend, who she names Den. The problem is, as with most parents of teens, her mother doesn’t approve.
Den has his own problems. This human he has blood-bonded with doesn’t quite fit in with his protocols, which require pleasing his mistress and keeping her from harm. She’s compulsive and seems to be a magnet for danger.
Ionia’s ultimate rebellion lead her and Den into a world of danger where they have to survive the harsh frozen Arctic, face evil criminals, and ultimately uncover some secrets that could answer questions Ionia has long been asking.
This book was a great read from beginning to end. Stewart does a wonderful job of alternating Ionia’s point of view with Den’s more pragmatic and logical point of view.
Frozen Hearts is the first in a trilogy of The Ionia Chronicles and I can’t wait for the next book. Stewart is a fresh new voice in fiction that I definitely want to read more of. I highly recommend this book for readers of all genres, but especially those who like a good YA science fiction read.
January 18, 2017
An enjoyable read! Romantic undertones, complex parent-teenager relationships, friendship dynamics, advanced technology that doesn't bog down the literature, challenges brought on by nature and rash choices that result in dangerous and devastating results...it has it all. If you want to journey to future Antarctica from the comforts of your warm and cozy home, this is your ticket.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews